Covert Operation
by Maken
Summary: ºYaoiº -.With new information at his disposal, the Sandaime assigns his best shinobi to infiltrate his own village and prevent an unknown, rumored threat that might very well spell disaster for the Leaf and change its fate as we know it.-
1. Undercover

**Disclaimer: **Before anyone gets any funny ideas I'll deny any ownership of Naruto, his world and its characters. They are the property of some wickedly cool artist that lives somewhere on the other side of the planet, so don't think you can come all the way here to slap me with a law suit, got it? Good.

**Warning: **This fic will contain _Yaoi_ of an explicit nature on later chapters. If you are not aware of this terminology, it means that two guys will be wearing a scandalous amount of clothing (_read_: none at all) in close proximity to each other, whereupon they will participate in an act better known as sex. Of the male variety, of course.

Deal with it.

**Author's Notes: **Right! For all of you that stayed around to read this, here's the deal. This is a _Naruto/Sasuke_ fic that will loosely fallow the Cannon of the Naruto-verse. I say 'loosely' because the circumstances will not be the same and I will be taking several liberties with a few things and changing a whole lot of other stuff.

And yes, this story will actually have a plot besides putting a pairing I like in the same place, under dubious circumstances and have them hook up; Though that might happed in here too now that I think about it, just at a much slower pace. And the plot might be a bit flimsy, but what the hell, eh?

Now, my other fic will be updated soon, so don't worry about it. I'll take turns between the two and try to update more often if I can manage it. You should know, though, that if I didn't start writing this then Sasuke would have popped up in _Peculiar Circumstances_ and taken too much of the spotlight by prancing nekkid where Naruto can ogle him, and Neji-kun would get jealous if that happened; that would have been terrible, right? _Right?_

Right!

So there you are. Read this and leave a review why don't 'cha?

-

**Undercover**

-

A large plum of smoke erupted in the middle of the Third Hokage's office, and had he been anyone else the old man would have assumed that one of the tallest shinobi within Konoha had arrived in front of his desk, seeing as very few ninjas would produce such a tall pillar of smoke upon appearing with that particular technique.

Indeed, it took all of the Hokage's considerable skill to just avoid coughing and waving the nin-smoke away from his face. He had a reputation to maintain after all. It wouldn't do for the leader of the most powerful ninja village of the continent to be sputtering around and coughing his lungs out, now would it?

Of course not!

In any case, when the air cleared he was not surprised to see one of his shortest subordinates standing before him, seeing as all the smoke was probably a way to compensate for his size. After all, this particular shinobi was very sensitive about both his age and his height, even to the point of looking for techniques to accelerate puberty, which were unsuccessful, of course. But that's a story for another day...

Then again, maybe the old man wasn't surprised because he was the one who had summoned the shinobi to his office in the first place; otherwise he might not have been as uncaring as he was at the moment. He remembered a time when even with all his training of expecting the unexpected and looking underneath the underneath, he was still horrible surprised and put into many embarrassing situations...

But he thought better than dwelling on those thoughts, since they always left him feeling somewhat self-conscious. Needless to say, he had stopped making assumptions about just who and what was appearing before him when the teleportation technique was being used a long time ago.

"You summoned me, Hokage-sama?" came the young voice from the middle of his office after the smoke cleared up, which the Hokage noted took more time then it should. Nin-smoke, after all, was supposed to dissipate quickly.

It just looked _cooler_ that way.

Who heard about waiting five minutes for a technique to be revealed anyways?

The Sandaime just shook his head slightly as he ordered his thoughts for this particular meeting while he shuffled the papers in his desk into some semblance of order. He nodded to the question and left it at that. He needed to get a bit more serious at the moment, even if it was somewhat difficult in the presence of this ninja; the vertically-hampered-nin always made such things somewhat difficult for him.

Especially when his mind began going over some of his more humiliating memories.

Still, he had heard some rather disturbing rumors and as such, precautions needed to be taken, even if he wasn't completely sure that assigning this mission would be the best solution, so he needed to sober up some and ignore that time that all his paperwork had been replaced with porn...

He shook his head and whipped the small drop of blood that came out of his nose. He needed to focus!

_Yosh!_

He was the Hokage, damnit! He was known as the Shinobi no Kami! He could do this! So he frowned slightly and brought his considerable mind to bear on the situation at hand, studiously ignoring that memory of the time...right. _Focus!_

Whatever the case, he knew that assigning this mission was the better alternative, and he trusted this shinobi to adapt should the situation get out of hand. After all, uncertain missions were this ninja's specialty.

When his paperwork was neatly stacked he rose from behind his desk and headed toward the cabinet on the left of his roomy office. He opened the small chest where he kept most of the tobacco for his pipe and set to preparing one of his favorite blends; it was from a combination of a particularly rare leaf from snow country and the regular fire country stock. He looked forlornly at a very special weed that never failed to relax him, but he knew that now was not the time and the soothing taste of his current blend would have to do.

All the while the young man that stood in front of his desk remained completely silent and still, knowing that he would be addressed soon enough. He waited patently for the Sandaime to regain his wits once again. For some reason, his presence never failed to scatter the usually composed Hokage's thoughts to the four winds.

No one really knew the reason, and anyone who asked the strange, short-nin would only receive a look of such innocence that all questions were instantly dropped.

When he finished, Sarutobi simply turned around to survey his subordinate while taking a puff from his pipe, making sure it was evenly lit. He relaxed almost immediately and he assured himself that his discomfiture was due to nicotine withdrawal.

He nodded to himself in certainty, his professionalism back in full force as he surveyed the prior source of his loss of mental composure.

The young shinobi wore a dirty white cloak with its hood up and a detailed mask of a passive dragon on his face, marking him as an ANBU Captain in his forces and one of the most skilled ninjas in all of Konoha. If that weren't enough, he was also the youngest to have reached such a rank in the history of the village, and the Sandaime would have gladly selected him as his successor for the position of Kage if it weren't for his age.

But even if he thought the young ninja ready for his position, the council was another matter entirely. Indeed, they still resented the itching powder from three years ago.

As he saw it, he just had to hold on to his job for a few more years until it could be done. Still, he had never ceased to be impressed by the young shinobi and this new assignment was difficult enough to warrant his expertise. To be sure, the mission could go wrong in so many ways and any given moment that anyone else would be completely unsuited for it.

Walking toward his desk once more and clearing his throat, finally in complete control of his mind and memories, he took a small scroll out of his pocket and tossed it to the young ANBU captain. "Remove your mask Ryu-chan," he commanded, his voice brooking no argument yet tinged with warmth that could be easily detected.

The mild teasing from the old man was hard to ignore as well, in fact.

The masked face snapped up to look at him and he swore that he heard some cracking bones from the whiplash. It was the first time that he made it an order and not a request and he just knew that it would be ignored until a good enough reason was presented. Not that he expected anything less from this particular shinobi.

"Don't call me that, ojiisama," came the low, growling voice of the dragon-ANBU. It was a silky voice that made you defensive immediately upon hearing it. It conveyed both danger and menace in such quantities that anyone would be frozen in fear upon hearing the first syllables spoken. It held no killing intent, but a promise of pain so great within it that it could not easily be ignored.

Of course, the Sandaime just brushed it off as if it were a common thing, which for him, it probably was. It didn't even matter to him that the young shinobi could overpower him or humiliate him as the case might be. "I am your Hokage, Ryu-chan, I can call you however I so desire," Sarutobi said, teasing humor tainting his tone even more and a wagging finger fallowing his declaration. "Besides, you are the youngest ANBU in the force at the moment, so the term is rather fitting."

With a sigh, the white-cloaked ANBU shook his head and started reading his mission scroll, doing his best to calm his indignation. Still, he had only so much self-control when dealing with the old man, so he spoke without even looking up from the scroll, "I have not been the youngest ANBU in the force for a whole year old man," he stated through clenched teeth, already irritated, "If I remember correctly, that honor belongs to someone who is three weeks younger then me and was placed in the infiltration unit of the Nezumi squad."

Taking a puff from his pipe, Sarutobi nodded sagely, trying not to laugh at the youngsters irritation, after all, he had to get even somehow. "Indeed, it seems that I had forgotten the recent addition to the Rat-unit," he said pensively, watching as the young Captain read the mission scroll without giving any reaction, "but I also remember that she is not a full part of that squad and thus not a permanent part of our ANBU forces."

He almost smirked when the Dragon-mask drooped slightly at his point. It was more of a reaction than he would have expected while the young shinobi was still in uniform; his only reactions were usually vocal and nothing more. Still, it could also be from some of the mission parameters within the scroll.

He knew that it would be a tedious mission.

The next few minutes passed in silence, and Sarutobi was sure that the young ANBU had already read the scroll more then a few times. "Could you remove your mask, Ryu-kun?" he asked, this time knowing that the digs toward the Captain's young age would not be as well received.

"Very well," came the young silky voice, this time devoid of all menace and tinted with reluctant, if fond, exasperation, before first the hood was removed and then the Dragon-mask, before the cloak was thrown over the young shinobi's shoulders.

Sarutobi couldn't help the simile that appeared in his face as he took in the ANBU captain's face; clear blue eyes stared steadily back at him as soft blond hair fell in cow-licks around the lean face of the Kyuubi's vessel, and more importantly, the Yondaime's legacy; The whisker marks that defined him as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-tails were slightly more prominent than when the demon was sealed, but not extremely so. Still, the boy was very handsome, even at such a young age.

"Stand down, Ryu-kun," he ordered as he moved to take a seat while gesturing the young shinobi to do the same.

At his order, the impassive expression melted off and a grin formed upon that lean face. It was both warm and cheerful; something that always astonished him, seeing that the boy had been part of the ANBU for close to five years. He always enjoyed seeing that face since it never failed to lift his spirits; knowing that the boy had grown to become so strong in body, mind and soul; knowing that he had fulfilled his promise with his predecessor.

Knowing that the boy was a bigger pain in the ass then the Yondaime ever was. And if anyone asked him, that was saying something. Powerful the Yondaime might have been. Mature and full of dignity most of the time? _Hell_ no!

"Now," he cleared his throat and focused on the mission at hand, pushing the memory of the tadpole infestation that the administration suffered when Arashi was learning the _Summoning Technique_, "do you have any questions?"

"Of course I do! Its not everyday that I get assigned something like this after all, in fact, I've never been assigned such a vague mission in my life, and I specialize in them!" the boy said as he waved the mission scroll about, clearly agitated. It never ceased to amaze him how different the boy was when he removed his mask. Still, it took a few minutes for the younger shinobi to calm down and focus steadily on the Hokage, "but lets start with the easiest part; why me?"

"Simple, my boy, you are the only one that could actually pull this off; you fill the requirements needed for this assignment to a tee. For anyone else this mission would be a suicide assignment that would end in failure. For you, however, there is a seventy-five percent chance of success."

"That's a lousy reason, but I understand the need," the boy said with a sigh, slumping slightly on his chair as he asked, "but wouldn't long distance surveillance do the trick as well?"

The Sandaime his nodded, "It would, but at the same time it would make you easier to expose. This mission doesn't have a time limit; it could last months, or even years. Should conditions not allow close proximity then other arrangements would have to be made, still, at this point in time this is the best way to go about it. Besides that, it would allow you to become more publicly known within the village, which needed to be done sooner or later."

"Very well," came the clearly reluctant response, "What will happen to my unit if I will be indisposed for such a long amount of time?"

"Another captain will be selected and your status within the ANBU will be sealed off. For all intents and purposes, on public records and otherwise, you will be a Genin of Konoha. Should you desire your previous position within the ANBU once your assignment is completed is up to you."

"I see," he said in a soft tone, understanding the full implications of his assignment and beginning to see the brighter side as well, "Are you sure this cover story will work?" he asked. While his mission scroll held all the details, there were some things that just looked a bit _too_ convenient.

"Yamashiro Aoba arrived in Konoha this morning and the ANBU team guarding the East Gate has reported that Uzumaki Naruto has arrived with him. After all, it is public knowledge that Naruto was sent away to live and train in the Temple of Fire," the Sandaime stated with a straight face, something that became rather difficult when the young shinobi's face turned both sulky and reminiscent at the same time. He was sure that the boy remembered his youth within the Temple, and the blond probably missed some of his mentors and teachers, if not all of them.

Still, that was five years ago before he was immediately recruited by the ANBU. For all that everyone else knew, Uzumaki Naruto was just finishing his basic training from the Temple of Fire and was coming to Konoha to become a Genin. Besides, Aoba and the boy were close as well, since they served as partners in the same squad for some time before he was promoted and Aoba left the Corps. This would help him explain thing of he needed to use some of the techniques that Aoba had taught him, or even some of the techniques that the boy had taught Aoba.

"Which reminds me," Sarutobi said, bringing Naruto's attention back on himself, "sealed within your mission scroll are both your new forehead protector and the keys to your new apartment, which is located rather close to that of your target. You will have to pack all of your things from ANBU Headquarters and not leave a trace, understood?"

"Yes, sir," Naruto said, taking the tone as one of dismissal and standing up, raising his hood and placing his Dragon-mask once again.

"If you have anymore questions, just come find me. The mission starts once you leave this office," the old man trailed off, and as Naruto was ready to depart, the Hokage called him once again, "Oh. And Ryu-chan? Your father would have been very proud of you today."

Naruto simply bobbed his head in acknowledgement, "Hai, Hokage-sama," and bowed before disappearing from the office with a small wisp of smoke.

"Now, why can't he arrive the same way he leaves?" the Sandaime grumbled to himself as he turned back to his paperwork, "I still remember the time when he filled my entire office with nin-smoke when he was nine years old..."

**oOOoOOo**

It took Naruto no more then two hours to clear out his residence in ANBU Headquarters. He sealed away most of his things, taking special care to seal his ANBU issue uniform, mask and armor in a special scroll. He would not need them at the moment.

The tattoo on his left arm was concealed with a technique that made it sink into the lowest layer of his skin, so as not to give away his prior involvement with the Konoha Back Ops. He changed into a dark orange sleeveless shirt with a high collar that felt like a second skin and had a white flame-type swirl in the front, black baggy shorts that reached the middle of his calves whose lining, pockets and hems were dark orange as well; he made sure to tie his new forehead protector with its black sash around his head and slip on a pair of black ninja sandals.

He placed his pair of black forearm bracers and gloves into his backpack for later use, but strapped his shuriken and kunai holsters in their respective places. After triple checking everything, he transported himself to a secluded area before wondering around in search of his new apartment, being dutifully distracted by the sights within the village as if it were the first time he had seen it in a long time, which was part of his cover.

A smile still lit up his face at being able to wonder around freely and without his mask. True, he loved his job and the challenge that his missions presented, but his identity remaining secret had always been paramount.

He waved and nodded at some of the passersby that looked at him curiously and kept on his way. Sure, this assignment would be a very difficult one, and yes, having to pretend to be a Genin would be a pain in the ass, but at the same time it would give him a chance to relax slightly and roam around his village freely and openly.

Just for that it was well worth it.

Now, he just needed to find his apartment and get settled in. If he wasn't mistaken the Genin exams were yesterday, so tomorrow would be the team selection...which meant that he would have to study the files and profiles that the Sandaime gave him on each of his teammates to get a better feel for them, among other things.

Finding his new apartment easily, he slipped the key and opened the door, ready to set everything up to his liking.

However, not long after the front door closed did a nondescript figure step out of it again, looking around before slipping into the shadows to scout the surroundings and locate his target.

If nothing else, Kage Bunshin was an excellent technique for surveillance, and besides, he was just happy to be able to relax for once, so he decided to be lazy and let his clone do all the mission work for today. Then again, he still needed to unpack and get settled, so he set out to do just that, thinking about what he could do to the old man for giving him a mission like this...

**oOOoOOo**

The day of the Genin's team placement started rather uneventfully, but then, when you are accustomed to the clandestine movement and cloak and dagger shenanigans that the ANBU pull off on an hourly basis it is not hard to label a normal morning as uneventful.

Uzumaki Naruto was rather glad for the peace and quiet, especially since he wouldn't have anyone from his squad trying to sneak into his room to get even after some training, premature wake-up call or the rotten eggs in their kunai pouch when they didn't take good care of their tools.

He smiled impishly at the thought and smirked as he stretched. He was sure to miss the almost constant happenings in Headquarters and the easy camaraderie of his subordinates. But he wouldn't miss the constant ambushes and bids for his position. There was only so much backstabbing that one could take, after all, even if it was all part of the routine and mostly lighthearted in nature.

It didn't take him long to get ready and out of his apartment. He had time to do some grocery shopping before having to meet his teammates. Some breakfast would not be amiss either, so he leisurely made his way out of his apartment and out into the streets of Konoha, nodding at a few of the villagers that were looking his way and smiling at the ability to actually show his face. Ramen sounded like a good breakfast at the moment, especially since his mission scroll told him of a particularly good stand that was close by.

Who knew, maybe he should spare the old man for giving him the tip. If the ramen was as good as the scroll said, he would even consider leaving the tadpoles out of his revenge.

If nothing else, it needed a bit more consideration.

When he walked into the ramen stand he was welcomed warmly by an old man and his daughter and he had to admit that the food was delicious. After tasting most of the flavors that they sold he knew that Miso would take a good place in his little ANBU heart. The stuff tasted like ambrosia.

Ok, maybe it tasted even better then that. Maybe he should drop the idea about gluing the Hokages hat to he's head after modifying the kanji of 'Fire' for that if 'Hentai.'

He would still have to thank the Third for his recommendation, though it was no secret that he had a particular fondness for Ramen, so maybe the old man thought he could buy his way out of his retaliation?

Nah, the geezer knew better then to try that.

Still, he was just happy to be out and about since he didn't have the same privilege as the rest of the corps had in that they could just take their mask off and walk around Konoha without problems, this was actually the first time that he could do the same. Even if he could disguise himself, someone could still spot him and blow his cover, something that was particularly risky as no one but a select few knew of his true identity. It was something that he had craved for a long time, and he never thought that he would attain it from a mission assignment of all things.

And especially not from an undercover mission where his real name was all the alias he needed. Maybe he should just give the old Hokage a break after all...

With a happy sigh he paid for his meal and thanked the cook and his daughter, promising to come again before setting out toward his next destination. He was sure that his Clones was done with the shopping, and while he was slightly late to the Academy, he knew enough about his supposed sensei to know that it would be a couple of more hours before he showed up.

Then again, maybe meeting with the Copy-nin before the rest of his team wouldn't be a bad idea...

Somewhere within the Administration building and old man was leaning over a crystal ball, relief showing clearly in his face as the scheming glint within the blue eyes that before held the promise of retribution against him slowly cleared. He was safe.

For now, at least.

**oOOoOOo**

"I knew you would be here, Kakashi-sempai," came a young happy voice from beside him.

Had he been anyone else, Hatake Kakashi would have jumped at knowing that someone had so effectively snuck up on him. However, he was never what you would call normal, so he simply nodded slightly after seeing who was beside him and then turned his sights back toward the memorial stone and the names carved upon it.

He didn't give any though of what the young shinobi was doing out in plain view, seeing as he was on the Genin team that he was supposed to teach. He imagined that there was more to his sudden appearance in the public light then what he was informed of, but the Sandaime had been particularly tight-lipped about the situation. After all, he was one of the few who knew of the blue eyed boy.

Simply put, he just knew that the young ANBU captain was placed on his team because of an extremely classified mission. No more information had been forthcoming. It had surprised him when he had learned about it since the blond could literally wipe the floor with him, but he was sure that things would be explained when they needed to be.

For now, he would follow the flow and see where it leads them.

After all, the boy had passed through his own ANBU squad some four years ago, where they specialized in tracking above all else, and soon made it to the special combat unit of the Dragon-squad where he had risen in both skill and rank at an amazing rate. Even if he had left the Corps soon after, the boy still addressed him as his superior when it had been the other way around for some time now. But he knew it was more out of respect then anything else.

Still, there should be some reason for him to be out here.

"I am not as unpredictable as you Naruto-teichou," Kakashi finally answered with a smile, wanting to know a bit more of their current situation. And while referring to the boy as Captain in the open was a risk, it would be enough to get at least some answers. That and he had always had to use the boy's station or rank to refer to him and never his name.

He could imagine the kind of identity crisis that a young boy would go through within those types of condition and couldn't help but marvel that the younger shinobi had come out of it intact and in good humor when other had been broken by the pressure of the Black Ops.

Still, he watched as the boy's face closed and became impassive. He knew that face, and it meant that the young shinobi had taken the jab as it was meant to be, yet didn't want to become either overemotional or dismissive of the risks presented by the utterance of his rank in such an open place and in such a way as well. It was something that astonished him, that the boy could retain his emotions and his caring nature.

"Be that as it may, I am now one of your subordinates until further notice, Kakashi-_sensei_. For all intents and purposes I am a Genin level shinobi of Konoha; no more, no less. This however poses some slight difficulties."

"Such as?" asked Kakashi, already knowing many of them himself. If he wasn't wrong then the blond had come to inform him of a course of action; the message was clear, after today Naruto would be a Genin and no more, and he would act as such until his mission was completed.

"One of my secondary missions is to guard and protect Uchiha Sasuke. I am to act with above average skill and attempt to challenge the boy into progressing at a faster rate. My level of skill could be attributed to my being a year older, since I would have graduated last year if I had attended the Academy as a regular cadet."

Kakashi nodded slightly, thinking it through. It would mean that he couldn't exactly count on Naruto's expertise when on the field unless absolutely necessary, but also that he should avoid making Naruto reveal more then what he was willing to reveal. It would be a tricky balance to maintain, especially since he knew what the boy was capable of.

On the other hand, with Naruto taking an active role in Sasuke's development, his worries about teaching were greatly lessened. He knew what a good leader and trainer the blond was, and it was plainly visible in how the Dragon unit of the ANBU Black Ops operated. They were the best, after all.

If there were ever a person that Kakashi could fit in the 'younger but stronger then me,' it would be this boy. So as he turned his attention back to the blond when he spoke again, it was with no small amount of anticipation of what the future might hold.

"Other then that, I came to inquire about your usual bell test. Under the circumstances, it would be a moot point since I already know its purpose."

He just nodded at the comment, having already thought about that particular point after speaking with the Hokage, "I know. Besides, if I were to dismiss this team, not only would your mission be jeopardized, but the Council of Elders would protest. After all, there is no one else in Konoha who can teach the Uchiha how to use his Sharingan. At least, no one that they know of," he finished with a side-ways glance and a sly wink.

"Very well then," Naruto said, ignoring the comment and bowing in respect toward the memorial before his face cleared and a small smile stretched across his lips. "I'll see you later then, Kakashi-sensei!" and with a wave and the sound of running feet, Uzumaki Naruto left his side, seeming like any normal 13 year old boy.

He knew that precious little would make the boy break his cover from now on, and he wondered just what type of mission would need someone like him to be placed in a Genin team of all things, even if it were a team with the last member of the Uchiha clan.

As he turned his thoughts toward the memorial stone once again, he knew that he was in for some interesting times.

**oOOoOOo**

Uchiha Sasuke was many things; the last loyal survivor of the Uchiha clan, this year's rooky of the year, the most sought after male in his generation and a genius shinobi or astonishing potential. But there was one thing he was not; he was not a patient person.

Even as a small child, Uchiha Sasuke was anything but patient.

So it is little wonder that he would be somewhat irritated, for he did not anger easily, when the clock marked that a whole hour had passed and his Jonin-sensei had not appeared. Not only that, but the third member of his team, someone called Uzumaki Naruto, who he had never heard of before, was also absent.

The fact that one of his most vociferous fan-girls, Haruno Sakura, was both trying to rip out his right arm or at least prevent blood from circulating in it with her death-like grip, and seemingly attempting to make him loose his hearing was not making his nerves any less frayed.

If he could, he would kill the Hokage for putting the girl in his team.

Indeed, he didn't need any teammates at all; they would only slow him down and hamper his ability to grow strong enough to hunt _him_ down and kill him. A dark frown formed in his brow as his black eyes narrowed, ignoring the incessant chatter for the next twenty or so minutes; irritation growing with the ticking of the clock. And if it was absolutely necessary to be placed in a three man cell, well, why the hell did they have to place him in one with such an annoyance?

His thoughts were distracted by the sound of footsteps and his frown turned into a glare when the door opened and someone stepped in.

A blond boy that looked somewhat older then they stood in the doorway with an arched golden eyebrow and a small paper in his right hand. He looked from the scowling and glaring Uchiha to the green eyed, pink haired girl at his side, "Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke of Genin team 7, I presume?" the boy asked and continued at the girls nod, "My name is Uzumaki Naruto," he introduced himself with a small bow, "it is a pleasure to meet you both."

With that, he boy entered the silent classroom and closed the door before heading toward the teacher's desk and sat on top of it, looking at his teammates curiously, "I apologize for being late, but Hokage-sama didn't tell me when and where to meet my new team when I arrived yesterday morning, so I had to return to his office and ask for directions."

If Kakashi had heard this, it would have made him proud. After all, not even a day after being assigned to his team and the blond was picking up some of his habits, even if the excuses sounded a bit too plausible for the Copy-nins tastes.

Sasuke however, was slightly appeased and simply grunted as his scowl disappeared and he began assessing his supposed teammate, which was quickly detected by the blond, who returned the look with a wink at him and a cheeky, yet strangely warm smile.

The Uchiha would have blushed if his blood circulation was in working order, what with Sakura almost ripping his arm off, especially since no-one had ever _winked_ at him like that. The most the fan girls that followed him around would do was flutter their eyes at him in the most nauseating fashion. It made him blink blankly at the blond boy, whose piercing blue eyes had been focused on the avenger the whole time before his eyes left Sasuke and wondered over to Sakura and her _death-grip no jutsu_.

"So, are you guys a couple or something?" came the completely innocent question, too innocent of anyone was actually paying attention, throwing both Sasuke and Sakura of guard. Sakura, however, immediately let her imagination go into overdrive and her eyes glazed over at the thought of being the Uchiha's girlfriend, which in turn allowed said Uchiha to untangle his arm from the girls grip and use the _Substitution Technique_ with a log.

It was too fast for a normal person to follow, but Naruto was not exactly normal, now, was he?

Still, the blond was not entirely surprised by the action, or the very succinct "No" with which the Uchiha answered his question after he was seated three rows and five chairs away from the pink-haired girl. So he just gave a curious nod and folded his legs underneath him and made himself comfortable.

He didn't miss that Sakura hast noticed the change, or the fact that her _death-grip no jutsu_ was now applied to a branch and not the Uchiha's arm, and Naruto really dint feel like informing her of this fact, so he let the girl figure it out for herself.

He would be extremely surprised that the girl didn't notice the change until after Kakashi entered the room, much to the Uchiha's obvious relief.

_All in all_, Naruto thought as he settled down for a long wait; _it's not a bad start_.

-

**TBC…**

-

**Author's Notes: **Did you like it? Did you hate it? Leave a review and let me know, ne?


	2. Friendship

**Disclaimer: **Naruto belongs to Kishimoto, not me. I'm just using his world and characters for some harmless, perverted fun, ne?

**Warning: **Boy love ahead! Run for your lives!

**Author's Notes: **What, you didn't run? Well, that's good. Welcome to the next chapter! I'm not going to keep you this time, after all, it's been more then enough time since the last update, so just get to it, ne?

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**Friendship**

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If anyone would have asked him, he would have said that it was too damn early in the morning. For Madara's sake, it was not even dawn yet! The sun hadn't begun to rise and their obviously worthless sensei wanted them to do some _survival training_ of all things.

Well, as far as Uchiha Sasuke was concerned, their sensei would have to _survive_ him first, damn it.

It didn't register in his mind that he was up one hour and a half earlier than the stated five o'clock in the morning or that for all his apparent uselessness, their sensei was still a Jonin-level shinobi (which practically guaranteed the mans survival when faced with a Genin's wrath, however prodigious that Genin was rumored to be). All he knew was that he didn't sleep more than a couple of hours and that he had to get to the training ground early if he wanted to be on time; that, and that Kakashi needed to be smacked around for making him wake up at such an ungodly hour for _survival training_, of all things.

Again, his sleepy brain didn't even notice that _he_ was early _and_ repeating himself.

At all.

So he got ready, didn't have anything to eat as Kakashi recommended (some part of his subconscious did recognize the man as his superior after all…for now at least) and started to make his way out of his apartment. After closing and locking the door, he moved a few steps toward the stairs and paused, looking at the door on the opposite side of the hall.

The other corner apartment.

It had been strange, to say the least. After their sensei showed up, some three and a half hours late, they had gone to the roof of the Academy and introduced themselves; and while he didn't learn anything about his sensei or Haruno (after all, he already knew that the girl was completely delusional), he did learn a few things about his other teammate: Uzumaki Naruto.

For one, that the blue-eyed boy had only arrived in Konoha the day after the Academy graduation and that he had been trained in the Temple of Fire. The only reason that he was placed in team seven was because there simply wasn't anywhere else to place him; he was a bit too strong to be placed in any other team, unbalancing them severely. His training had been somewhat unorthodox as well, for some reason. As far as he could figure, it was only because Sasuke and Sakura where the top of their class that they placed Naruto on their team.

If anything, they were the most likely to be able to keep up with the blond Genin, or so Kakashi had implied. It thrilled him to know that his other teammate was strong, and he couldn't wait to test himself against the other boy; after all, it had been a long time since he had found a challenge among his peers.

However, these things had not been all that strange to begin with. What was truly odd was when they were dismissed. At first, he thought that Naruto was following him, seeing that the blond simply stayed a few feet behind him, something that had started to annoy him after walking a few blocks. He had turned and called him up on it, wanting to know why the other was following him.

The boy thought very highly of himself, ne?

To his embarrassment, his new teammate just smiled warmly at him and told him, in a very cheerful manner, that his apartment was apparently in the same direction as Sasuke's home; _Home_, a term that he had never given his residence before, but one that he found himself considering; _was his apartment a home?_

He didn't notice how his flared sense of superiority was masterfully redirected, because lets face it, the boy did think himself important enough to be followed by someone who didn't even know him.

Then again, he did have enough fans/stalkers for him to be a _teensy_ bit paranoid.

Still, without even excusing himself, and after quickly pushing his embarrassment and thoughts to the back of his mind, he had turned around and kept walking, hands still stuffed in their pockets. Only this time Naruto had come into step with him, telling him that they might as well walk together if they were going in the same direction.

For some reason, he grudgingly enjoyed the blonde's silent company; so unlike Haruno's constant chatter while they were waiting for Kakashi to show, his other fans/stalkers pathetic attempts to get his attention, and the posturing that he endured from those male classmates that thought they were better than him.

The blond, however, only offered companionship and nothing else. He liked that, he learned.

What truly surprised both he and Naruto, however, was when they walked into the same apartment building. Naruto seemed even more astonished, and before he could even speak of it, the blond had told him that this was where his apartment was located as well. Still, what shocked them more than anything was when they found out that their apartments where adjacent to each other too.

He supposed that it was too much of a coincidence, but Naruto did tell him that the Hokage was the one to arrange his living quarters, so he might have been responsible for placing him so close to him. After all, the Hokage probably knew that they would be teammates even before Naruto arrived at Konoha.

It was perplexing to say the least, but not wholly illogical.

He supposed that since they were both orphans and in the same team, that the Hokage would go out of his way to do something like this. Still, the other boy intrigued him somewhat, so even if he weren't his neighbor, he might have still sought him out, if only for some training if the blond proved to be a challenge to him.

These thoughts brought him to his present situation and contemplation of his new neighbor.

With a slight nod of his head, he turned on his heal and headed toward Naruto's door, knocking slightly. They might as well go to the training ground together, and if he could get a spar in with the other boy as a warm up, then all the better for it.

Frowning at the lack of answer, he knocked with a bit more force before returning his hands to his short's pockets, slumping slightly with tiredness. A moment later he perked up upon hearing the sounds of stumbling and slight cursing coming from inside. He didn't know what to expect, but what happened next was never something he would have considered.

Ever.

When the door was yanked opened, a glassy-eyed, disheveled and obviously half-asleep blond was not exactly what he was expecting; after all, in his own overly-tired mind it was already close to the appointed meeting time, so clearly his teammate should have been almost ready to go at this point. However, this was not even his first concern. For Naruto, rumpled and half asleep and leaning heavily on the doorframe was only wearing some dangerously low-hanging green boxers and some sort of sleeping cap.

Some treacherously disheveled boxers that were precariously close to falling off, at that.

The lopsided sleeping cap didn't even register at second glance. And _damn_, no one should have such well defined muscles while still managing to look soft, his groggy brain reflected. All of this registered in Sasuke's mind in a split second, causing his brain to shut down momentarily, for surely, he hadn't just thought that, right?

Right!

The blush that tainted his cheeks at that moment was not even registered by either of them; Naruto because he was not at all aware, and Sasuke because, indeed, his brain was taking a hike.

If he would have been even slightly more awake, or even partially less tired, Sasuke would have been able to avoid what happened next, or so he would tell himself.

Naruto, who was very much _not_ awake, and more than slightly grumpy at his sleep being interrupted, only gave Sasuke a once-over, unconsciously taking in his battle-ready appearance, and then looked into his bare apartment out of the corner of his eye, where the clock rested, noting that it was a whole hour and a half earlier than the appointed time; and what's worse, Hatake Kakashi's appointed time.

That wasn't just being up early, it was being foolish.

So he did what seemed like the best course of action all things considered. He leaned slightly forward, never taking his weight from the doorframe, less he stumble, and made a lightning-quick jab, expertly hitting the necessary pressure points.

The next moment, he was closing the door behind him with Sasuke over his shoulder and heading straight back to his bed.

Had he been even slightly more awake, Naruto would have just dumped the Uchiha on the couch, one of the few pieces of furniture occupying his apartment, but he was not exactly coherent at the moment, and the detour would have been a bit too much work, besides, his mind had already forgotten the whole incident and was mechanically shutting down, only leaving him with enough motor function to arrive at his bed, Uchiha or not; so he ended up simply throwing the other boy on his bed and flopping on the other side carelessly, subconsciously knowing that he could have at least four and a half more hours of sleep.

He didn't notice what he did after one of Sasuke's sandaled feet bumped into him, or what happened after the cold steel of Sasuke's forehead protector brushed against his back, startling him slightly.

Indeed, Naruto wouldn't really remember that he woke up at all in the first place; or at least, that would be what he would tell the Uchiha come morning. In a corner of his mind, the one that was always on alert even while he was asleep, he found the whole situation more than slightly amusing.

In fact, he couldn't wait for the other boy to wake up. But that wouldn't happen for a whole four hours more, anyways.

**o****OOoOOo**

It was the sun that kinda' woke him up; its disgustingly cheerful rays shining on his closed eyelids in what he still considered an ungodly hour of the morning. In his mind, a few hours after sunrise was still too damn early to be awake, especially since he didn't have anything important to do, seeing that Kakashi's test didn't really count. However, he still made a mental note to buy some thicker curtains or something, because really, if he didn't find a simpler alternative he could risk waking up and doing an _Earth Jutsu_ that would probably cover the whole window while half asleep (probably ruining the whole room in the process); he did have that tendency of doing crazy stuff while not fully conscious after all…

…he remembered the time that someone had tried to '_borrow_' his ANBU mask (which he kept conveniently under his pillow at the time) for some nefarious purpose; probably to implicate him in a way that would get him demoted. The next day the perpetrator was found naked and swinging on the academy's swing set while singing '_you are my sunshine' _under the effects of some mild hallucinogenic drugs. The funny thing was that he didn't really remember doing any of that to the poor sod, even if he did deserve it… especially since the numbskull left fingerprints all over his mask.

Bah, and the idiot wanted his position as ANBU captain? Pathetic.

Shaking his head, he turned over slightly to get out of the glare of the sun and blinked sleepily. He was surprised, however, to find none other than Uchiha Sasuke tucked into his side, sleeping deeply and comfortably. He blinked again and his brain snapped to work on just how the hell he got there, seeing that he didn't remember ever inviting the other boy for a sleep-over or other more, well, _scandalous_ activities.

He did notice that the other boy was still wearing his white shorts, even if everything else seamed to have been taken off during the night and thrown haphazardly around his room. If he had to guess, the Uchiha had probably come looking for him at three or four in the morning, planning to be early to Kakashi's training session (he had to stifle a snort at that idea), maybe thinking that he'd be good company or something, which he doubted was his reason, and ended up being knocked out and placed in his bed while he was half-conscious at most, sleepwalking at best.

Phenomenal deduction skills, ne? He thought so too. But then, he did have some help from his subconscious.

Nodding to himself, he knew that that was what made the most sense, all things considered, especially seeing as he doubted that the Uchiha would break into his apartment and snuggle up to him while he was sleeping.

He mentally snickered at that thought.

Now, what to do, what to do… surely the boy would be embarrassed as all hell if he woke him up right now, and that would be counter productive to his mission, even if it would be a great deal of fun. He could try to make a joke about it and ask the boy what his intentions towards him were…maybe see if the Uchiha only wanted him for his body, or if this was his attempt at striking a deeper relationship with him…?

He actually started shaking slightly at the thought of how that conversation could turn out.

Ah, he sighed to himself while gently extricating himself from the raven-haired boys grasp, letting go of any number of ideas to make the other boy turn as bright as a tomato for the rest of the day. After all, they had just met and he really didn't want to overwhelm the sleeping boy too early, so he suppressed his pranking urges, made sure that the Uchiha was still sleeping and grabbed some clean boxers before heading toward the bathroom.

A quick shower to get rid of his bed-hair wouldn't be amiss, he was sure. Besides, the water would finish waking him up easily enough.

With these thoughts in mind, he made quick work of his morning routine; combing his hair with his fingers and brushing his teeth, among other things. After he was done and with his trusty camouflage boxers on (there was no knowing when he would be stripped to his underwear and still need to blend in with the foliage, after all. Besides, it gave a whole new meaning to 'going commando') he went into his bedroom once more, this time finding an awake Uchiha looking extremely confused.

He almost smirked at the slight blush that tainted the other boy's cheeks when he noticed his entrance, so he just winked at the black haired boy and went straight to his wardrobe, looking to the entire world as if this kind of thing happened every day for him.

"So, Sasuke…mind if I call you Sasuke?" he asked as he continued searching for something to wear, "what would you like to have for breakfast? My fridge is fully stocked and I can cook pretty well, if I do say so myself…" he paused, "hmm, what do you think, dark blue or green?" he asked, turning to look at the stupefied Uchiha with two outfits on hand; a dark blue and black ensemble and a green and tan set looking very similar to the dark orange and black clothes that he was wearing yesterday.

Sasuke, still shirtless and groggy, looking for the whole world as if he thought that everything that was happening was a hallucination or a weird dream, just stared at Naruto as if he had a second head for the entirety of his spiel, that is, until the last question finally snapped him out of his daze.

He had to admit, he was completely out of his element at the moment, and the only thing that he remembered was vaguely waking up that morning and standing in front of Naruto's apartment before everything went black. He was more than a little confused to wake up from a comfortable sleep in a strange bed to the sounds of a shower running.

His morning just got weirder after that, and the next thing he knows, an almost naked Naruto was standing in front of him and asking his opinion on what he should wear. He didn't even know if he wanted to question the blond boy on how he ended up in his bed, so he followed the other boys lead and acted as if nothing out of the ordinary was up; "The green," he answered shortly, his blush now under control even as he started picking up his shirt and gear from the bedroom floor.

"Right," Naruto said with finality, "green it is," nodding his head and putting away the blue outfit while placing the green one on top of his bed, before heading out the door and toward the kitchen, signaling for Sasuke to follow.

Of course, he was still dressed only in his boxers, wanting to see how Sasuke reacted.

"Anyways, I'm sorry for this morning," Naruto started with a shrug, even as Sasuke put his folded shirt and gear on top of the couch, staying in only his shorts as he fallowed the blond to the kitchen, seeming to have regained his bearings, and, lets face it, looking more then a little hungry, "I was trained to react in different ways, depending on the level of the threat while I'm not fully conscious," he explained as he started pulling foodstuffs from the fridge and pantry, gesturing to Sasuke to take a seat, "you're lucky that I didn't bind and gag you until I woke up, since that's what usually happens to people who disturbed my sleep but aren't perceived as a real threat," he finished sheepishly.

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow at that and crossed his arms over his bare chest, "and what would happen to someone whose perceived as a real threat?" he asked in challenge, slightly peeved to not be perceived as any kind of threat.

Naruto, detecting the tone of voice turned toward the Uchiha while twirling the knife he was using to do the chopping and locked eyes with the other boy, his gaze chilling, "they would be dead," he answered flatly, taking the Uchiha aback slightly. "Now," Naruto exclaimed while turning around, ignoring the slight shiver that went down Sasuke spine at his previous tone, "how's some onigiri for breakfast sound?" he asked as he prepared the rice, his tone upbeat once more.

"Hn," was the grunted reply, seeing as the Uchiha had turned his thoughts inward after Naruto's reply. Now more than ever was he curious of his teammate/neighbor, both because of what he knew about him and what he had learned during this morning. True, it all made him feel slightly off kilter, but it gave him a slightly new perspective into his future teammate's personality.

At least now he knew not to wake the blond up if he was deeply asleep.

He had already accepted the blonde's explanation, though he had to admit that the reaction was more than slightly strange. He wondered if what Naruto said about his reactions while asleep were true and tried to figure out what the blue-eyed boy's subconscious labeled him as, seeing as he was placed in bed and undressed during the night, if the arrangement of his clothes in the floor were any indication.

It took some effort not to display the blush that he knew wanted to surface.

Still, he was surprised that the situation hadn't turned awkward at all; not that he had the best socialization skills, but he was sure that something like what happened this morning should have turned both awkward and uncomfortable. Instead, he felt even more comfortable around the blond, though he wondered if the other boy had a tendency of being in boxers while in his home.

He tried to shake the images of the older boy undressing as soon as his apartment door was closed, but it was not exactly easy.

A plate being placed in front of him snapped him out of his musings and his stomach growled in demand, even as his host plopped down in the chair opposite his own. He noticed some juice and milk were also placed in the table and he wondered why he hadn't noticed when they were placed there. Still, he was starving, so he picked up one of the rice balls and bit into it with gusto, surprised by their taste.

"Do you like?" Naruto asked, pouring some milk in his glass, "it's a recipe one of the monks at the Temple gave me; the fact that they're easy to make is also a plus."

"Their alright," he answered, picking up another rice ball and serving himself some juice; in actuality, they were more than alright, they were delicious. Still, he was slightly worried about breaking Kakashi's order, "but weren't we ordered to skip breakfast?"

Pausing in mid-bite, Naruto actually snorted at this, "For a supposed genius you aren't very observant, are you Sasuke?"

He knew that he should be offended by the question, but the way it was asked somehow went below his offense-o-meter, and didn't even scratch his pride (which is very difficult to do, he could admit). Indeed, the question actually made him think instead. So that's what he did, idly munching on his onigiri even as he remembered; Kakashi didn't _order_ them to not eat breakfast, he _suggested_ it. But skipping breakfast would only be detrimental to them in the end, since they would tire more easily.

Naruto gave him a huge grin when he told him this, making him feel a great sense of accomplishment. But why would that matter to him at all? Shaking his head, he dispelled these thoughts from his mind and helped Naruto clean up, feeling pleasantly full.

Now, if only they weren't so late, he thought to himself, while looking over his shoulder at the clock.

It was 8:00 in the morning after all.

"Let me tell you a secret," Naruto spoke from beside him, their shoulders brushing as they washed the dishes, "a tip that I got from Hokage-sama himself," he told him when he had turned around to listen. He was slightly surprised to find Naruto's face so close to his own, getting closer by the moment; staying stock still, he waited until he could feel the blond's breath on his ear, "Hatake Kakashi is always late," he told him in a mischievous tone.

And the next moment the other boy was washing dishes like normal.

"So you see," the blond continued, "if you had gone to the meeting place at 3:30, which is when you knocked on my door, regardless of the fact that you were one and a half hours off of the 5:00 o'clock mark, you would have had to wait, at the very least, three and a half hours more," he finished his explanation with certainty. "Why do you think that I wasn't so concerned yesterday when he came in late? I actually asked around and found out that three and a half hours late seems be his average arrival time."

Slightly stunned by this information, he could understand why the blond looked so proud of himself. If his information was reliable, which he could hardly deny if it came from the Hokage, then they were hardly late at all.

"Still, if I'm at all wrong, and we really are late, then I'll take full responsibility for it," Naruto said with a winning smile, even as he finished putting away the last of the dishes. "Now, we should probably get ready to go, ne?"

And with that, the blond disappeared into his bedroom, probably to change into his clothes. He briefly wondered as he pulled his own shirt over his head, why he wasn't more unsettled by the other boy's lack of dress. After a while, it seemed like the most normal thing in the world. Shaking his head slightly, he proceeded to strap his shuriken holster and his utility pouch, along with retying his forehead protector.

"Are you ready?" came Naruto's voice from his bedroom.

"Hn," was his only reply.

"Cool!" said the blond as he appeared in living room, tying his own hitai-ate to his head, "then lets go!"

"Hn."

"Hmm, we really need to expand your vocabulary, you know, it sorely lacks, I dunno, _words_."

"Hn."

"See, exactly my point. Now, how about a race? It will help us warm up before this survival training thingamabob."

With a smirk, Sasuke just eyed the blond briefly, watching as the other boy finished locking up his apartment, "if you think you can keep up, sure."

With a hand over his chest, an over exaggerated expression of surprise and a finger pointing in his direction, Naruto exclaimed, "It speaks!"

Sasuke didn't even deign the blond with a reaction as he sped off toward the meeting place, wanting to see if the other boy could keep up. He just smirked when he heard the shouted 'hey, wait up you cheater,' from behind, but it was soon whipped off his face when a laughing blond sped right passed him, calling him a slow poke.

He didn't notice that they were taking the long way there, or that neither of them seemed to gain the advantage for long; he didn't notice that he wasn't giving it his all or that Naruto wasn't either; he didn't even notice that he was having fun for once, or that he had a true smile on his face, even as Naruto tried to trip him up, _again_.

Naruto, however, did notice, making his own smile that much wider.

**oOOoOOo**

They arrived at the entrance of Training Area Seven trying to make each other stumble or fall, taunting and throwing meaningless insults whenever one or the other succeeded. When they saw the three logs in the center of the training area, they immediately knew that this was their finish line, so they put on a little more speed and doubled their efforts at sabotage, laughing lightly all the while.

This's why, when Sasuke started speeding up and was almost at the center log that Naruto decided to use more advanced maneuvers to ensure that he won this little race; in other words, he _tackled_ the Uchiha to the ground before the raven-haired boy could reach the finish line.

Or was it finish log?

Tumbling and rolling, both quickly engaged in a small wrestling match, trying to throw the other off and escape so that they could reach the logs fist. Of course, as soon as one of them got an advantage, the other would quickly retaliate, making it so that many legs were pulled, some limbs where twisted into different holds and locks, and a great many other intercepting techniques where pulled off, even as they slowly but surely advanced toward their goal.

They didn't hear the shouts of their third teammate, but then, they were too busy cursing each other and laughing to do anything else.

When the log was temptingly close, they both shoved at the other simultaneously and made a dash for the finish line, their competitiveness finally coming to the fore of their minds. Of course, they were still holding a great deal of speed back, Naruto more than Sasuke could imagine, but their unspoken agreement of not using shinobi skills was strictly adhered to.

A double shout of "I win!" and "Ah-ha!" echoed across the field and both boys were startled when they saw the other touching the log on opposite sides. They shared a sheepish smile and locked eyes, knowing that a challenge had been issued.

Today, it was a draw, but there was always tomorrow to consider.

And the day after that.

And the day after that.

It was at that moment, eyes locked and breathing heavily, that their rivalry was born. A rivalry that was sure to develop in interesting ways…

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto," the blond said, stretching his hand out to shake in a very visible offer of friendship. After all, while they had exchanged a few words and been introduced, they never really did it with the intention of being friends, something that Naruto obviously wanted to change.

Both silently acknowledged the other as a teammate, and now as a friendly rival, but this was different, not simply because it a different kind of bond, but it was because it was a bond that Naruto was recognizing out loud, giving it more meaning that the rest.

Sasuke for his part, just stared at the hand being offered, knowing that shaking hands was not a common practice, but still aware of its significance. Looking up at the bright blue eyes and sheepish smile of his new teammate and rival, he couldn't help but give a small smile in return, even as he slowly shook the others hand, "Uchiha Sasuke."

And as their smiles widened, they knew that they had found something that they had never had before in any real sense of the word.

A friend: Someone who was more than a teammate, more than a rival; someone who they could learn to trust; for some reason, they just clicked and they knew it.

"Now!" Naruto suddenly exclaimed, pulling on Sasuke's hand and draping an arm around the boy's shoulders while smiling widely, looking at the gaping face of their other teammate, "what do you say we go say 'hi' to Haruno-san, eh?"

And just like that, Sasuke found himself trying to catch up with what was happening while Naruto dragged him over to where Haruno Sakura was standing under a tree, looking for the entire world as if she had been waiting for a long, _long_ time.

He tried to ignore the warmth of having Naruto's arm across his shoulder and the feeling of acceptance that came with it. He tried to ignore the smile that pulled at the corner of his lips at the thought of having an enigma such as Uzumaki Naruto as a friend, and the challenge that getting to know him posted.

Friend; something that he wasn't exactly sure how it happened, but knew that felt right.

But he just knew that his heart felt somewhat lighter because of it and his mind slightly clearer as well. He could feel immediately drawn to the blond, and he knew that a bond had started to form between them, even as he watched the blue-eyed teen trying to talk to a dazed Haruno Sakura.

It was strange to be sure, how easily the blond had slipped through his defenses, but as the arm around his shoulder tightened slightly in a sign of concern, probably because of his spacing out, he honestly didn't mind. Truly, the darkness that had surrounded him since the death of his clan seemed lighter somewhat; less oppressive, as if a light now shined from some unspecified source and showed him the hint of another path; one not ruled by his brother.

And for once, since all those years ago, he wondered and he doubted. Am I walking the right path?

With sudden insight, he recognized at least some of the things that he was feeling, especially as Naruto plunked both of them down in the grass, his arm still around his shoulders as he kept talking to their other teammate, who was now shooting concerned looks in his direction. And with this realization, these newly-identified feelings, some of the good memories of his childhood came to the fore of his mind.

And he remembered.

He remembered what it was like before the loneliness, the solitude and the despair.

But as his thoughts started turning more and more introspective, something shattered his pensive mood like a rock through a glass window, in the form of a reverberating, _"WHAT?!"_

Confused, he looked toward the source of the screech and saw the Haruno girl looking at him in a kind of horrified realization; as if all her dreams and fantasies had been shattered and stomped upon in the cruelest of fashions. In the next moment she asked a question that made him look sharply at Naruto, wondering just what the blond had been saying.

"_What do you mean that Sasuke-kun slept with you last night?!"_

The blond just shrugged, as if he had already said all he was going to say and gave Sasuke the most innocent look that the Uchiha had ever seen; full of wide, sparkling blue eyes and pure, blameless smiles.

It took him a few moments to completely register what the girl had shouted and why she was hyperventilating. And really, why did she have to be so loud?

And even if he felt kinship and friendship with the blond, and even if he felt warm and comfortable with the other's arm across his shoulder, he couldn't help the tick that suddenly developed in his left eye, or the glare that formed in the face of such innocent an expression.

If anything, he knew that his life would never be boring with Uzumaki Naruto around, so he asked in a remarkable calm tone of voice, "what did she just say?"

He had to wonder, a few seconds later, if there was any way that Naruto's face could reflect any more innocence than in already was, because he was sure that the look was intensifying by degrees as the time ticked by. Surely a halo will appear above the blond head any second now.

Uchiha Sasuke didn't notice when the tick in his left eye turned into a full fledged spasm, but he was sure of one thing:

Revenge was something he excelled in and something that he would deal to the blond when the boy least expected it. He wasn't a self proclaimed Avenger for nothing, damnit, so it was time that he live up to the title…

It was the first time that he though of revenge without thinking of his brother.

He didn't even notice.

-

**TBC…**

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**Author's Notes: **Meh, a little shorter than usual (even if not by much), but it helped get my head back on writing once again. Hopefully the next update will be slightly faster than the last, ne? So leave a review or something, I need inspiration!


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